July 14, 2016, Canton, MI – Yesterday, the Canton Police Department was awarded with the 2016 Model Agency Award from the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO). This prestigious award was accepted by Canton Police Officer David Eyl, at NASRO’s 26th Annual School Safety Conference. Eyl just completed his four-year assignment as a School Resource Officer at the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park (P-CEP) which consists of 6,200 students attending three high schools on a 300-acre campus.
NASRO’s Executive Director, Mo Canady, notified the police department last month of being one of five police agencies in the country chosen for the award—noting they had received many worthy nominations, but that Canton’s tremendous accomplishments stood out to the committee.
NASRO selects its Model Agency award recipients based on exemplary training, policies and standards of the NASRO triad concept, which describes three main parts of an SRO’s role as being mentor, guest lecturer and law enforcement officer. Recipients of the Model Agency award must also demonstrate creative and innovative approaches to school-based policing.
“It is an honor for Canton to receive the Model Agency award from the highly-acclaimed NASRO organization,” said Public Safety Director Joshua Meier. “Our SRO’s are to be commended for their hard-work, ingenuity and dedication in creating a safe, educational high school environment worthy of this impressive recognition,” Meier adds.
The Canton Police Department and P-CEP began the School Resource Officer Program in 1997, with one officer assigned to police the campus. Since then the program has grown to include three SRO’s who have developed and incorporated a multitude of safety programs and educational opportunities for the students, parents, staff and faculty of the Park. Canton’s current SRO’s include Officer Andrew Curry, Officer Edward Jagst, and Officer Andrew Colthurst (replacing Officer David Eyl).
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